Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008 - (Page 42)

HOTELS Chilston Park If London is a bit too hustlebustle for your luxury clients wanting a more gentile base for their southeastern England travels, the 17th-century Chilston Park Hotel (www.handpicked. co.uk) in Lenham, Kent, delivers bucolic country scenery, a friendly low-key atmosphere and such unusual pursuits as archery and falconry. We stayed at this country-house property recently on a pre-cruise stay and were so impressed we wanted to return post cruise. Part of Britain’s Hand Picked Hotels collection, Chilston boasts the usual accolades a mansion-type historic property might achieve. Among them, a Four Red-Star rating from Britain’s Automobile Association, which placed the property into the association’s Top 200 British hotels. But, unlike a typical luxury property, Chilston Park is decidedly low key. Staff never hovered during our visit, but was friendly and accommodating. Staying here is akin to enjoying a fine wine to be savored for its simple essence and brilliant flavoring. Clients might settle in with a good book in the historic library; enjoy afternoon tea with sandwiches, cakes and scones; play croquet on the lawn; or sip a Cognac while admiring the main mansion’s majestic staircase, strange fireplace guardians and oil paintings. Nature abounds, from the lovely flowers displayed throughout the property to the estate’s exterior trappings, including a large lake and fields of green. Clients who enjoy simple pleasures, and dislike coddling, make the best fit for this property; we observed a few guests chuckling as noisy ducks waddled briefly into the check-in area before being shooed out by staff. Breakfast is folded into the room rate, and served either in the guest rooms or in the dining area. Eclectic menus by Head Chef Gareth Brown feature seasonal ingredients from local farmers and suppliers. Many of the fresh vegetables and herbs are grown on the estate, so the flavors pop. One starter option your clients might try is the smoked venison, tarragon croquette and juniper berry dressing. For dinner, we recommend a local favorite: a duck breast with rösti potatoes, broccoli and almond hollandaise. And, for dessert, the English rhubarb and carmelized custard are the big winners, hands down. Accompanying our meal was Chilston Park’s extensive wine list. Vintages are personally selected by Julia Hands, Hand Picked Hotels’ CEO, in conjunction with Bibendum. For instance, your clients might request a fine white, the 2001 42 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | September 2008 http://www.handpicked.co.uk http://www.handpicked.co.uk

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Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008 Contents Publisher's Letter Editor's Letter Provence India Alvear Palace Hotel Oceana Santa Monica English Country Houses Chewton Glen Summer Lodge Chilston Park Hotel Trump International Hotel & Tower Chicago Park Hyatt Milan Intercontinental Montelucia Jackson Hole World Cruises French Riveria Spas Voluntourism Vacations Signature Travel Network The Pulse Profile Luxury Travel Expo Sightings Source List Leaders Speak

Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2008

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